Manicure Mistakes You Might Be Making

“When you file your nails back and forth, it weakens them, and can cause them to break later on,” says Mabelyn Martin, a nail artist at Paintbox, a nail studio in New York City. Instead, Martin suggests only filing in one direction from the sides toward the centre. This means picking up the file after each pass to go back to where you started to make another pass in the same direction.

Skipping the base coat

“Never skip the base coat,” says Simcha Whitehill (better known as Miss Pop Nails), a celebrity and editorial nail artist in New York City. “Not only does it protect your nails from staining, it also extends the wear and can help your mani last a few days longer.” And be sure to choose your base coat wisely. Yankee recommends staying away from a base coat/top coat hybrid and instead opting for a ridge filling formula like Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Smooth & Strength Base Coat. “This will camouflage imperfections on the nail plate and create a great foundation for your colour,” Yankee adds.

Rushing the layers

“Wait at least two minutes to allow polish to dry in between each coat,” says Yankee. “This will allow for a faster drying time in the end because the layers have had a head start on drying in between.”